Next to Me
by mangamaniac014
Summary: Dave Strider has had a crush on his best friend, John, for many years. When John comes to visit Dave out of the blue, feelings come to light. Will Dave's feelings be returned? What's a cool kid supposed to do when he falls for a guy who claims that he's not a homosexual?


**Chapter 1-Preparation**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck or any of the associated characters. They belong to Andrew Hussie. I only own this plot and any associated OCs.**

**A.N: Okay. I'm apologizing in advance if this sounds like the characters are too OOC. I'm trying my best to keep them in character as much as possible. This is my first Homestuck fanfiction so criticism is welcome.**

turntechGodhead (TG) has begun pestering

ectoBiologist(EB) at 12:30

TG: what up derp

EB: Nothing really. I'm just bored. It's been raining all week.

TG: that sucks is it usually so rainy in washington

EB: No. That's why it's so damn boring.

TG: you can be down here its hot as holy hell down here

EB: I'd rather deal with heat than rain.

TG: dude im talking 105 degree weather

EB: So?

TG: youd never want to deal with that kinda heat

EB: Better than 37 degree weather.

TG: still hell dude

EB: Whatever you say, Dave. Do you not want me to come visit you then?

TG: i never said that

EB: Then don't complain about the weather down there.

TG: whatever when are you flying down anyway

EB: Tomorrow.

TG: that soon

EB: Is that an issue?

TG: no

EB: Then why ask about it?

TG: no reason just amazed

EB: At?

TG: nothing

EB: Whatever.

TG: gtg I got cleaning to do

EB: Dave Strider cleaning ?! I've heard it all.

TG: whatever egderp ttyl

EB: See ya.

ectoBiologist (EB) has ceased pestering

turntechGodhead (TG)

Dave Strider was freaking out. His best bro was coming down and Bro had all these random katanas and shit lying around the house. Not to mention those creepy smuppets. There was no way he was going to let John see those creepy ass things. Bro had some of the strangest things around the house.

"Yo, little bro. What do you think you're doing?"

"Cleaning the house."

"Why are you doing that?"

The curtains were closed so Bro and Dave could walk around the house without their "ironic" shades. It was a Strider thing. Bro's bright orange eyes looked into Dave's crimson red ones.

" Might I ask why you're doing that?"

" John."

"What about the derp?"

"He's coming down here."

"When?"

"Tomorrow. He's coming tomorrow."

Bro's eyes grew wide. That wasn't what he was expecting. He was hoping for a next week or next month, not tomorrow. This was too much for him.

" You sure he said tomorrow, little bro?"

"I can read, you know."

"I didn't say you can't. I'm just confused."

"What's there to be confused about? It's easy to understand. John is coming tomorrow and I'm not letting him see this disaster you call a house."

"So the derp is coming and all of a sudden, you decide to clean?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

Dave was glaring at him. Bro knew that look. Dave hated when Bro thought he did nothing. His room was cleaner than a good portion of the house.

"I didn't say that."

"If you have time to say anything, you have time to clean up your damn smuppets."

Dave picked up a smuppet and threw it at Bro's head. Of course it wasn't easy to hit Bro. he dodged the smuppet with ease. Bro only laughed at Dave.

"Nice try, little man."

"Asshole."

"Yeah and?"

"Nevermind. I'll get you when you least expect it."

"That's what you always say but I've yet to see it, Dave."

Bro was an asshole this morning as per usual. He had a sarcastic smirk plastered on his face. Oh, how Dave wanted to knock him on his ass. That's not easy though, Bro was the one who taught Dave everything he knew.

"Damn asshole. If you're not going to help, get out. I have a lot of work to do and you're not going to distract me."

"Fine. I'll go bother Jake or whatever."

"Get out of here already, damn you."

Bro closed the door behind him. Dave had every intention of cleaning the house. At least, until his phone beeped a new pester.

carcinoGenecist (CG) began pestering

turntechGodhead (TG) at 13:00

CG: HEY FUCKASS.

TG: what do you want vantas I have work to do

CG: WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE WORKING ON?

TG: cleaning

CG: YOUR KATANA? YOU CLEAN THAT THING EVERY DAMN DAY!

TG: not my katana I already cleaned it today

CG: THEN WHAT, FUCKASS?!

TG: my house im cleaning my house

CG: WHY THE HELL YOU DOING THAT?

TG: i have my reasons

CG: WHAT REASONS?

TG: john

CG: WHAT ABOUT HIM?

TG: he's coming down for a visit i don't want him seeing what a mess this place is

CG: THE HELL?

TG: you try cleaning up all of bros smuppets its not fun

CG: WHAT THE FUCK IS A SMUPPET?

TG: you don't wanna know these things are creepy as hell

CG: CREEPIER THAN YOU?

TG: creepier than gamzee they're that scary

CG: THAT'S NOT FUNNY.

TG: wasn't meant to be I'm serious here

CG: THAT'S A DISTURBING REFERENCE.

TG: you're telling me I grew up with those things

CG: YOU HAVE GOT TO BE SHITTING ME.

TG: nope I'm serious here man those things give me the creeps

CG: IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN SOMETHING?

TG: striders just don't get the creeps it just doesn't happen man

CG: WHATEVER YOU SAY, STRIDER.

TG: what's wrong karkitty bad day

CG: NO WAY!

TG: let me guess fighting with sollux again

CG: NO!

TG: i'll take that as a yes do you two ever not fight about anything

CG: YES.

TG: oh yeah when vantas

CG: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!

TG: I got an idea of when but that's disturbing

CG: WHAT?!

TG: whatev gtg

CG: DON'T!

turntechGodhead (TG) has ceased pestering

carcinoGenecist (CG)

Dave sighed. Talking to Karkat always made him beyond tired. He couldn't take a nap though. He had a lot of cleaning to do and he had to finish today. There was no time to fool around. John meant a lot to Dave. They were best bros but Dave wasn't sure if he was happy with just being friends anymore. As of late, every time he talked to John, his heart would skip a beat and he would turn crimson in the face. He was pretty sure he was in love with the derp. Damn him and that adorable, buck –toothed grin of his.

_' I'm outta my mind. John has made it pretty clear that he's not gay. I wish I could forget my feelings for him and move on but I can't. I'm in too deep. How ironic is it that Dave Strider would fall into the childhood friend cliché?_'

John had a few things to deal with himself at the moment. People didn't know how to stop pestering him. That beep was starting to get on his nerves. It was like no knew the meaning of "leave me alone."

twinArmaggedons (TA) began pestering

ectoBiologist (EB) at 13:35

TA: Hey Egbert.

EB: Another one! Augh!

TA: What are you talkiing about?

EB: All these pesters today. It's getting annoying.

TA: That make2 a lot of 2en2e.

EB: I've got so much to do today, it's not even funny.

TA: Why you 2o bu2y all of a 2udden?

EB: Packing.

TA: For what exactly?

EB: It matters?

TA: Curiiousiity, you could 2ay.

EB: I'm going to visit Dave in Texas tomorrow.

TA: Ii thought you only do that once or twice a 2weep.

EB: A year.

TA: Whatever.

EB: But you aren't entirely wrong. That is what we normally do.

TA: Then why the 2udden vii2iit?

EB: I just want to see him. I miss him.

TA: Huh?

EB: It's hard to see each other when you live in different states.

TA: Oh, now Ii get iit.

EB: Yeah. Besides, I have something I need to tell him. Something I can only tell him in person.

TA: And what'2 that exactly?

EB: None of your business.

TA: Cold. Ii'm ju2t curiiou2. Could iit be you love him?

EB: Ugh….

TA: Am Ii right?

EB: …Hit the nail right on the head…

TA: What naiil?

EB: It's a metaphor. There's no real nail.

TA: Oh. Thank2 for cleariing that up.

EB: Yeah. I've gotta go, Sollux. Got to finish packing.

TA: Alriight. Bye, Egbert.

EB: Bye.

ectoBiologist (EB) has ceased pestering

twinArmaggedons (TA)

John looked around his room. It was strange to think that he was leaving behind good old Maple Valley, Washington to go to Houston, Texas for the next two weeks. Sollux had been right. Dave and John only saw each other twice a year. Once in the summer when their friend Jade invited them and their friend, Rose, to come to her Grandpa's private island. The other was during Christmas break.

It was so hard going for weeks on end without seeing Dave. John had no idea what to do with himself when he was away from Dave. Something just felt empty. John spent so much time trying to figure out why it felt so empty without Dave. Then one day, it hit him. He was talking to someone, most likely Nepeta. She was really into relationship charts and Dave and John happened to be one of her favorite pairings.

'_Damn, Dave. Why do you have to mess with my head like this? Do you enjoy making me feel like this? Though, I'm sure he'd never be into someone like me. I'm sure Dave is completely straight, considering all the girls he's had._'

John slid down to the floor. It was the idea that Dave would never be into someone like him that scared him. A derpy prankster with buck teeth and glasses. All people told him was that he had plenty of talent on the piano and the most beautiful sky blue eyes. John mostly hated himself very often. There was a time when he hoped he'd disappear from existence. His phone rang in his hand. When he answered it, he heard a very familiar voice in his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, man."

"Dave, what's up?"

" Just wondering if you're gonna need someone to pick you up at the airport tomorrow."

"You don't have to."

"I'm going to anyway."

"Are you sure, Dave? You really don't have to."

"I'm sure, John. I'm very sure."

John's face turned a florescent crimson. He kept telling Dave that he didn't need someone to come get him but Dave is stubborn enough to make an elephant jealous a lot of the time. Dave refused to let John go by himself.

" John, I can't let a girl go by herself."

"I'm not a girl!"

"You sure act like one."

"Do not!"

"Yeah, you do. Admit it, Egderp. You are so girly."

"I'll admit nothing."

"John, please?"

"No way."

"For me?"

"No, Dave. No way in hell."

"Awe. No fair."

Dave was whining. That was very rare for the stoic Strider. Of course, he acted different without his shades on.

"Dave, are you wearing your shades?"

"No. Why?"

"You're whining. That never happens when you have them on. Why aren't you wearing them?"

"It's dark in the house. I don't really need them if it's dark."

"Yeah, but aren't your eyes sensitive to any light at all?"

"Yeah."

John could only think one thing. In the nine years he'd known Dave, not once had he ever seen Dave's eyes. He was an honest guy. He would admit that he was curious about what color Dave's eyes were. Who wouldn't be? Dave always had those shades on.

"An eye condition, right?"

"Kinda."

"What do you mean?"

" Oh. It's nothing, Derp."

"You know, Dave. We've been friends for nine years now."

"Yeah, and?"

"In all that time, I haven't seen your eyes once. I don't even know what color they are."

"It's a secret. That's why."

"Not fair, Dave. I'm curious."

Dave was silent for a moment. It was like he was mentally having a debate with himself. It's not like he didn't want to tell John, he just had a strong fear of rejection. His eyes always drove everyone away.

"….brown."

"Huh?"

"My eyes. They're brown."

"How normal. That means Mr. Cool has a normal thing about him after all."

"What does that mean?"

"I was hoping for something rare and unusual."

"Like what?"

Dave wasn't sure he was prepared for what he was about to hear. What would John say? What did he mean by normal? Dave was far from normal.

"Red. I thought you would say they were red. Since you like red so much."

Dave could only laugh weakly. What would John say if he knew that Dave's eyes really were red? He would probably run from him in terror calling him a monster like everyone else had.

"I wish. I'm too cool for brown eyes so I hide them behind completely ironic shades."

" I don't see any irony to them."

"It's a stereotype, man. Cool kids and their shades. Besides that, there's my eye condition that makes my eyes sensitive to light."

John was beginning to think Dave was hiding something from him. Dave was definitely beating around the bush and avoiding John's questions. It was well known that Dave had a habit of not answering his questions directly.

" Yeah. Well, Dave. I got to go. I have to finish packing so I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Bye, derp."

"Bye, Dave."

A click sounded as John hung up. Dave's heart was pounding in his ears. He felt like his heart was going to explode in his chest. It had taken all of his courage to call John. He couldn't hide the smile on his face though.

"John, I love you. I really wish you knew."


End file.
